The first Ann Arbor City Council candidate running as a Republican has turned up in the 5th Ward.

John Floyd said he believes the advantage of a two-party contest is that the discussion of issues will continue past the August primary and into November.

"That's why I'm running as a Republican," he said. "I think you get very nonrepresentative voting in August. A little more competition is better for everyone in the end."

A Huron High School grad, Floyd has degrees in economics, public policy and accounting and finance from Oberlin College, the University of Michigan and DePaul University. He works in financial control for auto-related companies.

"I'm running strictly on local issues," said Floyd. Ideologically, he describes his outlook as that of a conservative not inclined "to engage in radical change without thinking it through."

That translates into concern about development that he says endangers the quality of life in Ann Arbor. "I'm very much in favor of economic development," he said. "But it needs to be done in a way that's sustainable."

Ann Arbor's only real economic advantage is having a small-town feel with big-city culture, he said. "Flooding the city with 20-story buildings endangers quality of life," said Floyd. "I find that most people have no idea of the tsunami that's about to break over the city."

He's also critical of what he called the "violation of the public trust" that occurred when city officials entertained the idea of using a dedicated park maintenance tax to pay for police patrols in the parks. That plan was not carried out.

He advocates more engagement among units of government and a regional approach that recognizes Detroit as central to the area's - and the state's - economic health.

He's seeking the seat now held by Democrat Chris Easthope.
First elected to the City Council in 2000, Easthope will be on the ballot, but this year as a candidate for 15th District Court judge.

Kerson won't run

On the Democratic side, the primary in the 5th Ward is back to two candidates.

After contemplating a run for Easthope's seat, Roger Kerson has decided against it. "I got great support from friends and colleagues," said Kerson, director of public relations for the United Auto Workers.

However, personal and professional commitments caused him to opt against a run. "I've got a full-time job in Detroit and two kids in middle school. This wasn't the right timing. I will not run this year," said Kerson, president of the Ecology Center's board of directors.

That leaves the competition in August to former Washtenaw County Commissioner Vivienne Armentrout and Carsten Hohnke, who with his wife runs Vie Fitness and Spa on Ashley Street.

Committee supports Pittsfield slate
In Pittsfield Township, the political action committee Community Effort for Pittsfield has announced a full slate of Democratic candidates it is supporting for the township Board of Trustees.

Those include Supervisor James Walter, Clerk Feliziana Meyer, Treasurer Christina Lirones and trustees Kenneth Brostrom, Gregory Conner and Andrea Urda-Thompson, all of whom are running for re-election. The committee also is supporting trustee candidate Karen Zera, who is on the township Park Commission.

Incumbent Trustee Marilyn Burhop announced earlier that she will not seek re-election.The PAC also is supporting candidates for the Park Commission: John Becic, Karen Brooke (incumbent), Cleveland Chandler, Deborah L. Lennington and Patricia Stanton-Kawalec (incumbent).

Unions' endorsements

The Ypsilanti Education Association and the Ypsilanti Support Staff Association have endorsed Sarah Devaney, Kira Berman and Edward Jackson for the Ypsilanti school board. Devaney is the only one of the three already on the board.

A 10-member committee of the two employees' unions made the endorsement following a union-sponsored candidates' forum.
YEA President Kelly Powers said the group was impressed with Berman's vision for the district. And Devaney, Powers said, "is a person of her word." She said she has voted for everything she said she would support since joining the board. Powers said Jackson is "very open to listening to everybody's side."

Devaney, Jackson and school board incumbent Tom Reiber are running for two four-year terms. Berman and Katherine Weathers are vying for one one-year seat on the board. The school board election is May 6.

Events

U-M graduate Amy Sullivan talks about her book "The Party Faithful" Thursday4/17 at 7 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1500 Scio Church Road.

An editor of Washington Monthly, she is an authority on religion and the Democratic Party. A Plymouth native, Sullivan previously served as an aide to former U.S. Sen. Tom Daschle of South Dakora and was editorial director for the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. She has a degree from the Harvard Divinity School.